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Review: RUBY Modern Diner

We have reviewed 2 of the 3 main burger places in Exeter, Urban Burger and Hubbox and we really wanted to finish the trio and add RUBY Modern Diner. The other 2 places got 5 stars each so there was some stiff competition, but RUBY are winners of a Taste of the West Gold award in 2013, so I knew they could definitely rise to the challenge! RUBY brings a modern twist to the roots of the American diner, serving fast food prepared with the finest, fresh local ingredients.

The inside is kitted out in a rustic, shabby chic American diner theme. We had our own booth which was comfortable, and gave a more private feel.

Speaking of the venture, owner Erin said "Dicky Harrison and I spent a year building the Modern Diner concept, before opening the restaurant in January 2013. We were inspired by pop up restaurants and street food markets in London and decided to bring some of those ideas under the single roof of a Diner. We've sourced the best produce the region has to offer to build a unique menu including smoky pulled pork, hot salt beef & real hamburgers, all of which are made by hand every day at the restaurant. We serve award winning ice cream from Otter Valley Dairy which is used in our desserts and milkshakes - this Easter we'll be serving their special Creme Egg ice cream!Our Ruby red beef comes from a single source in mid Devon - used for our hamburgers and hot salt beef. Our fluffy egg glazed brioche buns are baked by Emma Parkin at Emma's Bread and we've worked with her to perfect the New York style recipe. We’ve also got delicious ciders from Sandford Orchards and beers from Flat Cap in Cornwall. We buy our cheese from Hawkdrige Dairy near Coleridge and all our pork and chicken is locally sourced and free range.

We opened the doors to RUBY Modern Diner on Sunday 27th January 2013. We're open until 10pm most evenings and later on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A unique dining experience for the city RUBY offers the flexibility of table service, self- service lounge and walkthrough experience.Last Year we won Love the Flavour Best Takeaway and a Taste of the West Gold award. We are really proud to have achieved this within a year of opening!"

We were very impressed with their wide menu, which is diverse and full of variety. There was definitely more than one burger that caught my eye. We were also impressed with their passion for locally sourced ingredients, from pork, beef and veg and it was communicated clearly on their menu. Keeping up with tradition I went with their pulled pork burger; a 6oz hamburger, smoky pulled pork, and BBQ sauce - I have 2 other places to compare it to! Nick chose a chilli burger; a 6oz hamburger, RUBY chilli con carne, Hawkridge mature cheddar, roquito chilli, sour cream - Hot + messy! There were lots of sides that caught my eye and we decided to have fries, red Jalapeno peppers stuffed with philly, deep fried in breadcrumbs and Macruby cheese- Macaroni, very cheesy sauce made with Hawkridge mature cheddar, Devon Blue, mustard, crunchy top.

Nick said that the chilli on his burger was really good, well balanced and mild and not too sloppy. The burger was succulent and full of flavour, and the quality of the meat was obvious. My burger was equally as nice and tender and the pork was cooked to perfection. There wasn't much sauce on it, but this made it a lot easier to eat. The chips were a little disappointing and were a little limp and sorry for themselves by the time they were served. The stuffed cheeses were delicious, but deathly hot! The Macaruby Cheese was great, one of the best macaroni cheeses that I have eaten! The meal was great and we were both absolutely stuffed! We also got to sample a BANGO milkshake - banana ice cream, banana, milk, and mango puree-delicious but very filling!

RUBY definitely stood up against the competition, and each different place serves each of their individual purposes, and RUBY definitely wins for the amount of different burgers and meals available and how broad their menu is. We will definitely be going back again! Have a look at their menu online